Pilot plant for glass-based cement alternative secures funding
PozGlass reduces reliance on carbon-intensive cement ingredients while diverting post-consumer glass from landfills
Progressive Planet will receive up to $4,636,468 in funding to support the construction of a pilot plant to produce PozGlass, a low-carbon supplementary cementitious material (SCM) derived from post-consumer glass. This funding comes from Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) and will be dispersed over four years. The first tranche of $1,555,682 was given to Progressive Planet on January 31, 2025.
PozGlass can help accelerate decarbonization in Canada
This investment represents another forward movement in Canada's push to decarbonize the construction industry. Cement production, a key contributor to global CO2 output, currently accounts for over 7 percent of worldwide emissions. PozGlass represents a viable solution by reducing reliance on clinker, the carbon-intensive ingredient in traditional cement, while also diverting post-consumer glass from landfills.
Unlike traditional SCMs such as fly ash, which face dwindling supply as provinces phase out coal-fired power, PozGlass is made from post-consumer glass — primarily sourced from cities. This proximity to raw materials and end-users ensures that PozGlass has the ability to integrate into existing cement production processes, offering a scalable and sustainable solution for the industry.
This project aligns with Canada's commitment to advancing clean technology and circular economy principles. By turning waste into a valuable commodity, the PozGlass pilot plant will help position Canada as a global leader in low-carbon cement solutions, creating jobs and fostering sustainable economic growth.
"PozGlass is our solution to reducing the carbon footprint of cement production. This funding allows us to innovate, reduce emissions, and create value from post-consumer glass, a material that has been historically misallocated and considered waste," said Steve Harpur, CEO of Progressive Planet. "We are grateful for the financial support of SDTC, whose substantial investment is driving this project forward."
Building momentum toward a low-carbon future
The global low-carbon cement market, valued at US$2 billion in 2023, is projected to triple by 2034. With partnerships spanning investors, engineers, and construction stakeholders, Progressive Planet is aiming to capitalize on this growth while reducing the carbon footprint of one of the world's most essential industries.
The pilot plant is expected to begin operations in October 2025. The first phase of operations includes dry processing of the post-consumer glass to remove all contaminants from the glass while creating the coarse glass powder which is the sole ingredient of PozGlass.
In phase one, Progressive Planet will also make other coarse glass products such as CanBlast, a crystalline silica-free sand blasting media that the company has sold for over a decade, althoght it has made by a third-party company using post-consumer glass.
Phase two will involve wet grinding of coarse glass powder to create PozGlass and construction of this facility is expected to be completed in late 2026.
A collaboration with Lafarge Canada
On June 29, 2023, Progressive Planet signed a purchase agreement with Lafarge Canada Inc. to purchase all the PozGlass 100G produced by Progressive Planet's pilot plant up to a maximum of 3,500 metric tonnes per year.
As part of this agreement, Lafarge Canada agreed to provide technical guidance and support to Progressive Planet in advancing the proprietary PozGlass technology through the design, construction, and operation of the pilot plant.
"Having the support of SDTC, and Canada's largest cement company, Lafarge Canada, reinforces that PozGlass is a relevant and promising solution to decarbonizing the production of cement," said Harpur. "Progressive Planet is grateful to have had the continued support of Lafarge Canada as it sought non-dilutive funding to shoulder a portion of the costs of building the PozGlass pilot plant."
"With traditional sources of supplementary cementitious materials in decline globally, innovation is more critical than ever. Companies like Progressive Planet are providing new options to reduce the embodied carbon of building materials through circular economy advancements. We are thankful to the Government of Canada for their ongoing support of emerging technologies and look forward to working with Progressive Planet on the testing and use of PozGlass," said Brad Kohl, president and CEO of Lafarge's Western Canada division.
